If a church were to re-word or re-structure their mission statement to reflect something like...
"Our mission is to grow people into an authentic relationship with Jesus until all men, women, boys and girls are ready to give away their lives for the sake of Christ."
Something to that degree--can you imagine the ramifications that would have? Where would you start? How would the church respond to holistic spirituality? Can you imagine the impact of taking something like that seriously?
Authenticity is attractive. Kids today, and adults too, are looking for something more real than the churchy game that most of us play. In fact, I'd be tempted to put a banner up where other praise banners are that simply states, "No more B.S." And I don't mean "Brandon Scott", although the two are sometimes synonymous.
What if the church really got busy being about the business of Jesus? What if we cared less about maintaining status quo and looking like the world around us and began to be radically DIFFERENT than the world? Did you know that based on just about every statistic out there--there's not much difference? Marriages don't stay together, people don't seem to have more victory over addictions, etc. And so, the burning question is...just what difference does Jesus make? It's HUGELY convicting to me.
For me, the call of Christ is becoming less and less appealing by worldly standards. I think that's as it should be. While my flesh rejects the notion of dying to myself, my spirit turns backflips at the thought of true authenticity in Christ...and becoming what we're all meant to be through His power. Furthermore, based on real example in my life, this change is not possible without surrender to the Spirit of God. I'm still learning, Lord!! I need Your molding touch!
"Not by might, not by power, but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord!!"
Friday, December 02, 2005
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5 comments:
Amen brother!
And to think they only let you be a worship minister and not a preacher. (
Okay, just to be VERY sure since I seem to be having problems conveying sarcasm on comments [see Phil's blog] - that was sarcasm, all in good fun, I hope! If it is perceived any other way, I'm very sorry.)
The problem, IMHO, is that no one wants to be labeled a freak. I mean, I'll be a Christian UP TO A POINT seems to be the attitude we all default to. I know that I am guilty of this. Loving our enemies is one of the freakier things Jesus commanded us to do, but how many of us love & pray for Saddam Hussein? Seriously? That would just be too much, right? Or is it?
"How would the church respond to holistic spirituality?"
That has officially become my very favorite question ever posed. I love that so much!
Man I can't say anything else about this post except, yeah!
DAvid, I'll ask the question that I asked earlier over IM for the benefit of the board:
You ask, "Why bother with "church" if it doesn't change who I am and it doesn't change the people that are there? If Jesus' message doesn't make a real difference, why bother?"
My response is another question: What if it's not the message? What if it's the way the message is being presented? What if the message is being watered down through culture and a church that has achieved power and wants to keep it?
I think the message is worthwhile and worth pursuing. It's just a matter of digging it out.
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